Blazin Si

Car: '97 Acura 2.2CL (5 speed)
Engine: (bluetop) H23VTEC
ECU: OBD1 p72 (crome w/ H22 map)

The swap is only 4 days old. It was having difficulty starting. The stock F22 would fire right up while this motor needs a few seconds of cranking before it struggles to life. After it's running, there are no other problems except for an occasionally low idle. Sometimes the motor has a difficulty keeping the idle steady after you stop at a redlight.

Today I was driving to work on the highway, cruising at 70 mph when the engine suddenly shut off. The CEL came on immediately and I coasted onto the shoulder. I then tried to start the engine and it had the normal "weak" starting noise from the starter. Then suddenly it sounded as if the solenoid wasn't engaged and the starter was louder and spinning faster than normal. I tried to start it a few more times while I waited for the tow truck, but got the same results.

Could it be a bad ignition or distributer that caused the engine to shut off? Any help would be greatly appreciated as this is my DD and I need to get it back on the road.

Thanks

kyden

the sound of the starter spinning faster screams snapped timing belt.

Blazin Si

If that were the case, wouldn't I have heard all sorts of havoc from the engine internals? The timing belt was changed before the motor was swapped as well as a hydraulic to manual tensioner conversion. The starter doesn't spin fast initially. It sounds normal for a couple seconds and then starting spinning fast.

I think it has something to do with the distributor.

Blazin Si

I just got off the phone with the shop. You're exactly right. Broken timing belt. They said they'll cover everything.